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RCM · Preparatory B

RCM Prep B ear tests: practice for clapback, chords and playback

Prep B has the same three ear tests as Prep A, with one step up: the playback tune can now be in A minor as well as C or G major. Clapback (4 marks), chords (2) and playback (4) make up 10 of the exam's 100 marks. Every exercise in our trainer is generated fresh, so there's nothing to memorize — only listening to practice.

Clapback

Listen twice to the rhythm of a short melody (2 measures, 3/4 or 4/4), then clap or tap it back.

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The tests at Preparatory B

Clapback

4 marks

Listen twice to the rhythm of a short melody (2 measures, 3/4 or 4/4), then clap or tap it back.

Unchanged from Prep A. The examiner names 3/4 or 4/4, counts one measure, and plays a melody about two measures long twice. You copy its rhythm by clapping or tapping, or by singing it on one note. The note values are whole, dotted half, half and quarter notes plus pairs of eighths — no dotted quarters until Level 1. In our trainer you hear the rhythm twice and clap it back, and your timing is compared with the rhythm at your own tempo, so a steady speed matters more than matching the piano exactly.

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Chords

2 marks

Hear the first five notes of a scale and its tonic chord: is the chord major or minor?

Five notes up a scale, then that scale's tonic chord played solid, once: major or minor? Prep B uses the same two chord types as Prep A. A helpful habit is to sing the five notes back quietly and notice the third one. If it feels bright and open, expect a major chord; if it sounds shaded, minor. Our trainer plays the scale and chord in varying keys, so you learn the sound of major and minor rather than one particular chord on one particular note.

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Playback

4 marks

After the key chord, sing back a four-note melody made from the first three notes of a major or minor scale (played twice).

The tune is about four notes long, built from the first three notes of a scale, and starts on the tonic or the third. The keys are C major, G major and — new at Prep B — A minor, where the three notes are A, B and C. The examiner names the key, plays the tonic chord once and the melody twice; piano students then play it. Our trainer asks you to sing or hum it instead and checks every note. In A minor, listen for the half step between the second and third notes.

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Tips for Preparatory B

  • Sing C–D–E and then A–B–C. The first climbs by two whole steps; the second by a whole step and then a half step. That small difference is what makes the minor tunes sound darker.
  • After the key chord, hum the tonic quietly before the tune starts — it gives you a home note to measure from.
  • For clapback, say the rhythm in words first ('long, short-short, long') and then clap exactly what you said.
  • Practice playback in all three keys; A minor is the new one, so give it extra turns.
  • Try a full mock a week or two before the exam to see which of the three tests needs the most work.

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A full Preparatory B mock, marked

The examiner runs every test in order, plays as many times as the board does and gives an estimated mark out of 10, with where you lose marks.

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Questions people ask

Is Prep B harder than Prep A?

Only slightly. Clapback and chords are identical, and the marks are the same: 4 for clapback, 2 for chords and 4 for playback. The difference is that playback tunes may now be in A minor, which has a half step between its second and third notes. If Prep A is secure, Prep B needs little extra work.

What does it mean that the tune starts on the tonic or the mediant?

The tonic is the first note of the scale and the mediant is the third — in A minor, A and C. The examiner doesn't play the first note, so listen to the tonic chord: in its usual position the bottom note is the tonic and the middle note is the mediant. Pick the one that matches the start of the tune.

My child plays violin — does Prep B apply?

Prep A and Prep B are piano levels. Other instruments have a single Preparatory level with the same three ear tests, marked 4, 2 and 4, but playback keys come from each instrument's syllabus — for violin, D and A major. Our trainer follows the piano keys; the listening skills carry over even though the keys differ.

How accurate is the clapping check?

It compares when each clap lands with the rhythm, after allowing for your own tempo. On 260 test recordings of clapped rhythms and pulse clapping, it agreed with the expected verdict 98.5% of the time. A quiet room and clear, crisp claps help most; our methodology page explains how it was tested.

Can we practice without an account?

Yes. Free practice is available every day without signing up, and singing and clapping are analyzed on your device rather than recorded. An adult can sign in by email link to keep progress across devices; full mocks are part of the paid plans on the pricing page.

Independent practice. We are not affiliated with RCM (The Royal Conservatory); the tests here are generated by our engine from the published format, not taken from the board's books. Mock marks are estimates — the examiner's judgement is final.